New and Advanced Picosecond Lasers for Tattoo Removal.

Early methods of tattoo removal ultimately resulted in unacceptable cosmetic outcomes. While the introduction of laser technology was an improvement over the existing chemical, mechanical, and surgical procedures, the use of nonselective tattoo removal with carbon dioxide and argon lasers led to scarring. Q-switched lasers with nanosecond (10-9) pulse domains were considered to have revolutionized tattoo treatment, by selectively heating the tattoo particles, while reducing the adverse sequelae to adjacent normal skin.

Lasers in tattoo and pigmentation control: role of the PicoSure(®) laser system.

Background And Objectives: The use of picosecond lasers to remove tattoos has greatly improved due to the long-standing outcomes of nanosecond lasers, both clinically and histologically. The first aesthetic picosecond laser available for this use was the PicoSure(®) laser system (755/532 nm). Now that a vast amount of research on its use has been conducted, we performed a comprehensive review of the literature to validate the continued application of the PicoSure(®) laser system for tattoo removal.

Effect of chlorpyrifos on the profile of subpopulations immunocompetent cells B, T and NK in in vivo model.

Background: Current studies have indicated many environmental factors, such as pesticides, that cause immune system disorders through inducing changes in humoral and cellular responses thereby increasing the risk of contracting infectious diseases and cancer. The literature suggests that low exposures to certain organophosphorus pesticides stimulate the immune system, whilst high exposures result in decreased function. Precise mechanisms for the fall in immunocompetence are often unclear, however it can be predicted that the intimate interaction between the nervous and immune systems can potentially lead to toxicity.

Computer modelling as a tool for the exposure assessment of operators using faulty agricultural pesticide spraying equipment.

Background: Faulty but still operating agricultural pesticide sprayers may pose an unacceptable health risk for operators. The computerized models designed to calculate exposure and risk for pesticide sprayers used as an aid in the evaluation and further authorisation of plant protection products may be applied also to assess a health risk for operators when faulty sprayers are used.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of different exposure scenarios on the health risk for the operators using faulty agricultural spraying equipment by means of computer modelling.

Influence of chlorpyrifos on the profile of subpopulations of immunoactive cells and their phagocytic activity in an experimental in vivo model.

Many environmental factors, including pesticides, cause immunological system disorders by inducing changes in humoral and cellular response. They may stimulate or trigger immunological autoaggression, hypersensitivity and allergy, as well as lead to immunosuppression, thus increasing the incidence of infectious diseases and cancers. Such activity is also attributed to organophosphorus compounds used in agriculture as insecticides, and commonly in households as biocides.

[Toxicological evaluation of crop protection chemicals in the EU registration process].

Authorisation of crop protection chemicals prior to placing into the market is being regulated with standardized regulations in the European Community territory. The Member States are obliged to introduce all provisions constituting the base for the evaluation of protection chemicals and determining their safety for man and environment. The rules governing toxicological evaluation of plant protection products and their active substances have been discussed and the practical relevance of the harmonized provisions for the safety assessment of pesticides in the EU were also presented.

[Phenobarbital-induced hypermethylation of the p53 promoter region in the liver of Wistar rats].

Non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGCs)-induced changes of DNA methylation has been proposed as a mechanism of their toxicity, including carcinogenic action. The effect of phenobarbital (PB), a rodent liver carcinogen on the methylation level of the p53 promoter region in rat liver was studied. Changes in the methylation status of the p53 gene were correlated with changes in DNA synthesis, DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs) activity and liver weight.

[Effect of diclofop on the activity of some drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver of male Wistar rats].

The study was designed to determine whether diclofop, introduced to environment as herbicide, would exert properties of chemical inducers of rat liver monooxygenase system related to CYP1A and CYP2B isozymes. For this purpose, the effect of diclofop on 7-etoxyresorufin O-dealkylase and p-nitroanisole O-demethylase activities specific for CYP1A as well as on CYP2B mediated 7-pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity was studied in male Wistar rats. This biochemical method permits to determine whether tested compound belongs to one of two main types of chemical inducers.

Cell-culture virus-neutralization test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for evaluation of immunity in chickens against fowlpox.

Two serological tests--the virus-neutralization (VN) test in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) using a cell-culture-adapted virus, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)--were used for evaluating the immune response in chickens against fowlpox virus. The VN test was conducted in 96-well tissue-culture plates using a fowlpox virus that was adapted to induce cytopathic effects (CPE) in CEF in 48 hr. The ELISA was carried out with an antigen prepared by precipitation of a cell-culture-propagated virus suspension with ammonium sulfate and concentration by centrifugation.

Paramyxovirus type 3 (PMV-3) in California turkeys: serologic study of PMV-3 antibody with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detecting paramyxovirus type 3 (PMV-3) antibody. This test had a higher sensitivity than the hemagglutination-inhibition test, and no cross-reactivity with various paramyxoviruses or avian pathogens was detected when the sera were tested diluted 1:200. The incidence of PMV-3 infection in California was studied by testing 2037 turkey sera from 174 meat and breeder flocks for the presence of PMV-3 antibody using the ELISA.

Hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys in California: serologic study of hemorrhagic enteritis virus antibody with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The incidence of hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) infection in California turkeys was studied by testing 2220 turkey blood samples from 173 flocks for HE virus (HEV) antibody by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Maternal antibody was detected at 1 day of age in all flocks tested, and it vanished after 3 weeks. Acquired HEV antibody appeared at 8 to 10 weeks, and 100% of the meat and breeder turkey flocks were positive after 11 weeks of age.

Measurement of tetracycline levels in parakeets.

Parakeets were fed hulled millet seed containing 0.5% chlortetracycline (CTC) or minocycline. Blood concentrations of more than 1 micrograms CTC/ml and more than 5 micrograms minocycline/ml were obtained.

Optimizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for evaluating immunity of chickens to Newcastle disease.

Experiments employing the various steps and reagents used in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were conducted to produce an ELISA with the highest sensitivity and specificity possible for detecting Newcastle disease antibodies in chicken sera. Of the four types of antigen tested, crude antigen gave inconsistent results. However, an alcohol-precipitated antigen prepared from infectious allantoic-amniotic fluids was as satisfactory as more highly purified virus preparations.

Comparison of a tissue-culture virus-neutralization test and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurement of antibodies t infectious bronchitis.

Two serological tests, the virus-neutralization (VN) test in tissue culture using a tissue-cell-adapted virus and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were compared to detect antibodies against Massachusetts 41 and Connecticut 46 strains of Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). The VN test was conducted in wells of microplates by the usual procedure. The two strains of IBV were adapted after 20 serial passages to induce CPE in 24 hours in chickens embryos kidney cells (CEKC).

Application of the egg-bit technique in poultry-disease research.

Experiments were carried out to determine the usefulness of the egg-bit technique (EBT) in poultry virus research with various agents available on the market. The EBT was found satisfactory for propagating 9 strains of avian influenza virus of different antigenic groups, with only minor differences resulting when the procedure used two sources of gelatin, presence or absence of CaCl2, or commercial or specific-pathogen-free embryos.

Host range comparisons of five serotypes of caliciviruses.

Two new serotypes of San Miguel sea lion virus (SMSV), designated SMSV-4 and SMSV-5, were studied in vivo and in vitro. The host cell spectrums were compared with SMSV-1, SMSV-2, and vesicular exanthema of swine virus type A-48. Based on the result of these broad host spectrums, a numerical scoring system was devised for ranking each virus on the basis of its potential for infecting terrestrial mammals, including the important domestic species.

In vitro DNA synthesis in lymphocytes from turkeys vaccinated with LaSota, TC, and inactivated Newcastle disease vaccines.

In vitro cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from turkeys vaccinated and revaccinated with Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines were stimulated to transformation when exposed to the homologous and heterologous strains of ND virus. The mitogenesis was measured by the uptake of 3H-thymidine into newly synthesized DNA. There was considerable difference in DNA synthesis by lymphocytes drawn 0, 2, 5, and 10 days after vaccination and revaccination with the three vaccines.

Antibody response and resistance of turkeys to Newcastle disease vaccine strain LaSota.

Studies were undertaken to determine the influence of repeated revaccination on the immune response in immuno-competent turkeys as measured by humoral antibody and resistance to challenge. Protection was better in turkeys given the LaSota spray vaccine at 4 weeks and 30 days later than in turkeys given one vaccination by spray or intramuscular route or exposed 4 times at 10-day intervals by the aerosol route. The anamnestic response, as measured by the HI tests to revaccination with the same immunogen, was not evident by the 3rd day postrevaccination but was observed on the 7th day.

Persistence of velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease virus in litter.

Litter in a room which had housed chickens and turkeys actively infected with velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease was no longer infectious for susceptible chickens placed there 10 to 14 days later.